Hassan wants roadmap for action following audits

CONCORD - Gov. Maggie Hassan on Monday issued an executive order directing state agencies to develop action plans within 30 days of audits and to regularly report on their progress in responding to audit findings.The order comes a week after the Department of Resources and Economic Development was the target of a rebuke by legislative auditors over the administration of a tax credit program designed to stimulate job creation.

The audit by the Legislative Budget Assistant (LBA) determined that more than half of the state tax credits issued for creating jobs in economic revitalizations zones were awarded erroneously or lacked proper documentation.

The order applies to any audit issued by the LBA since January 2013. At least 10 state agencies have been audited in that time by the LBA, which was created in 1953 to conduct investigations, analyses or research into the financial activities of state government.

Any agency audited since the start of 2013 has 60 days to report on their progress in fixing problems identified in the audit. Newly audited agencies will have 30 days to report to the governor moving forward.

“Our goal is to ensure that state government is operating as efficiently and transparently as possible,” Hassan said. “Audits give us an opportunity to improve operations and to improve how we protect taxpayer dollars. This executive order will help ensure that state agencies continue to address audit findings, and provide the public with transparent information about their efforts.”

As part of their audit reports, agencies will be required to identify findings that must be addressed by other entities, including the legislature, the federal government or the governor and council, in the form of changes to laws, rules or funding.

Agencies will be required to report twice a year on their progress in addressing audit findings. The agency action plans, as well as the progress reports, will be posted on TransparentNH, with a link to the original audit.

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